Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Graffiti vandals caught! And more news...

Hi everyone,Just wanted to let you know that five graffiti vandals have been caught by the BPD just in the last 2 weeks! I'm glad to be passing on good news to end our busy cleaning season!In other news from B. Police Department, Cpl. Thomas Radford, an officer with 11 years of experience, has joined our team and would like to offer his assistance in any way possible! Additionally, I have recently interviewed Lt. Scott Davidson and will be sending out a newsletter with many of our "frequently asked questions" about the enforcement aspect of graffiti here in Burlington. That should be reaching your mailboxes in the near future.Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you enjoy the break from cleaning graffiti that the winter affords us! Thanks again for all the great work that you do to keep Burlington beautiful.

P.S.-- One Adopt-A-Block member is helping me to organize a Graffiti Removal Steering Committee that will probably start meeting in January to plan for spring. Members will be drawn from the BPD and Public Works as well as from the teen community, City Council, businesses, Adopt-A-Block and the greater community, hopefully. Our first big proposed project is to set up a reward pot for people who call police as they see vandalism occurring. If you're interested in being a member of this important, decision-making board, please let me know! I'll also send out more information soon.P.P.S.-- In the winter I can't clean graffiti either...so I organize "Operation Snow Shovel" instead. It's a program that matches elderly and disabled people in need of a cleared walkway with volunteers who'd like to shovel for them. Volunteers shovel only walkways, not driveways, each time it snows 3 inches or more. If you'd be interested in providing this much-needed service to someone in your neighborhood, please call me at 865-7548.

GRT History

Formally known as The First Response Team, GRT is Burlington's network of hands on community improvement volunteers.GRT educates about the harm of graffiti and organizes groups to go out and clean in order to maintain a sense of security and Burlington community pride. GRT also puts together other numerous programs for the benefit of Burlington and its residents, including:

*Adopt-a-Block--Community members learn how to keep their space clean by receiving a graffiti removal kit and training.

*Operation Snow Shovel--A program that teams up volunteers with an elderly or disabled community member to shovel their steps and walkways so they can remain mobile during winter months.

Adopted Cleaning Areas

These are mapped areas of Burlington where Adopt-a-Block members are on patrol.The highlighted streets represent the general areas our 26 (and counting) members have adopted to take care of graffiti and litter.